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Barolo—A Hidden Wine Town in Northern Italy

The towering snow-capped Alps jutted into the sky behind us, shrinking as we drove southward through the gently rolling green hills. Dark church steeples and shadowy medieval towers dotted the distant landscape, barely visible through the receding fog. As we wound our way through the twisting side roads, neat rows of vineyards zipped past the window, punctuated by an occasional field of grazing cattle. If we hadn’t detrained in Turin an hour ago, I’d have thought I dozed off and woke up in a Hans Christian Andersen story.

Escape to the Tuscan Hills and a 12th Century Castle

Nestled in Italy’s Chianti region, among the rolling hills of Tuscany, is an Italian castle offering 5-star accommodations with a perfect balance of Old World charisma and modern comforts.

The Three C’s of Capri: Citrus, Cliffs, and Coastline

Yellow illuminated the view, from both the fruit and the sunshine, immediately transporting me to a “happy place.”

Top of the World Hikes

…imagine hiking alongside Jupiter or Apollo, literally in the clouds, gazing down upon the seemingly endless Amalfi coast of Italy…

When in Florence Take Time to Stop and Smell the Roses

To get away from the museums and crowds in Florence, Italy, here are three lesser-known destinations — all with a connection to roses.

A True Taste of Italy in a Tuscan Farmhouse

Minutes from the bustling hill towns of Tuscany, yet eons away from crowds of tourists, stands a secluded 17th century stone farmhouse.

A Trip to the Sistine Chapel

It was rather plain on the outside, plain brown and not at all what I had expected. Our eyes had to adjust to the dimly-lit room as we crossed the threshold of the small doorway and down two steps onto the original tiled floor.

In Search of Their Private Ithaca

Did you know that Homer’s enchanting sorceress Circe from The Odyssey continues to cast her intoxicating spell far and wide? She does so through award-winning wines and spirits harvested from reclaimed marshlands in Italy’s Lazio region by the venerable Cantina Sant’Andrea — a family of vintners that weathered a real-life odyssey to rival that of Ulysses.

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